Holder for Shotgun Speedloaders

Abstract

A holder for speedloader tubes includes a plate that can be secured to a portion of a user's body; a plurality of upwardly opening pockets on the plate; and a plurality of clips on the plate. Each one of the clips is located above and is associated with a respective one of the pockets. The lower end of the tube is received in the pocket and an upper portion of the tube is retained in the associated clip.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This is a nonprovisional application of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/585,883, filed Jan. 12, 2012, by the same inventors, the benefit of the filing date of which is hereby claimed, and the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Competitive shotgun shooting often involves firing multiple rounds as quickly as possible. To that end, different types of shotgun shell speedloaders have been developed. One form is a tube containing several (four, for example) shotgun shells. The tube is releasably kept on or in a holder that the user wears. When the user desires to reload the shotgun, the user grabs a handle on the tube and removes the tube from the holder. The tube can then be used to load the shells quickly into the shotgun.

Known holders for speedloader tubes are bags or pouches made of nylon or a similar fabric, having hook and loop fasteners that releasably hold the tubes on the pouch. To remove the tube, the user first pulls the tube upward for about eight to ten inches to remove it from the pouch so that it can be moved toward the shotgun. Pulling the tube this far upward can slow down the reloading process. In addition, it can be awkward to draw a tube from this known holder when the user is seated, or at some other body angles or positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an outside elevational view of a holder that is a first embodiment of the invention, shown supporting a plurality of speedloader tubes;

FIG. 2 is an inside elevational view of the holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of a clip that forms part of the holder of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the clip of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a new and improved device for holding speedloader tubes. The device consists of a holder in the form of a plate having a number of clips on its exterior, made from molded plastic material. The plate is secured to the user's body, for example on the thigh, by one or more straps. The clips releasably hold the speedloader tubes on the plate.

As one example of the invention, the drawings herein illustrate a holder 10 for holding five speedloader tubes 12. The holder 10 includes a plate 20 and a plurality of retaining clips 30.

The plate 20 has a curved configuration for conforming to the thigh of a user when strapped onto the thigh by a strap assembly 22 or other means. The plate 20 has an outer surface 24 on the lower end of which are mounted five pockets 26. The pockets 26 are hollow, opening in a direction toward the upper end of the plate 20.

Also on the outer surface 24 of the plate are five of the retaining clips 30, one clip for each one of the pockets 26. Each one of the clips 30 is associated with a respective one of the pockets 26. Each clip 30 is located above its associated pocket, so that the speedloader tubes 12 extend generally vertically when the holder 10 is being worn.

Each retaining clip 30 has a generally U-shaped configuration when viewed in lateral cross-section as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The U-shaped configuration of the clip 30 includes a base 32 and two sides 34. The base 32 has two fastener openings 36 for receiving fasteners therethrough to secure the clip 30 to the plate 20. When the clip 30 is mounted on the plate 20, the two openings 36 are spaced vertically. The base 32 is adapted to lie flat (evenly) on the outer surface 24 of the plate. The base 32 could be curved to accommodate a curved plate 20.

The sides 34 of the clip 30 are mirror images of each other. Each side 34 (as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4) has a first end portion 40 that connects with the base 32, a center portion 42, and an outer end portion 44. Each side 34 has an inwardly bowed configuration (is convex inward), with its center portion 42 being closest to the opposite side. The first end portions 40 of the clip sides 34 are spaced apart by a first distance; the two center portions 42 of the sides are spaced apart by a second distance which is less than the first distance; and the two outer end portions 44 of the sides are spaced apart by a third distance, which is greater than the second distance. In addition, the lower edges 46 of the two clip sides 34 are tapered or beveled, as best seen in FIG. 3.

The dimensions of the clip 30, including the separation (distance) between the two sides 34, are selected to enable the clip 30 to releasably grip a known speedloader tube between the two sides. Specifically, a speedloader tube 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) can be clamped between the two sides 34 and the base 32 of the clip 30. The tube is retained in the retaining volume 50 (FIG. 3) that is the space defined generally between the center portions 42 and the base 32. When the speedloader tube 12 is retained in the clip 30, the lower end of the speedloader tube is enclosed in the pocket 26.

The sides 34 of the clip 30 are elastic. Thus, when a speedloader tube 12 is inserted into the clip 30, the two clip sides 34 are cammed apart, then spring back toward each other as the tube enters into the retaining volume 50.

One preferred material for the clips 30 is Delrin brand plastic, which is a polyoxymethylene (POM), also known as acetal, polyacetal, and polyformaldehyde.

The lower end of each speedloader tube 12 is received in a pocket 26, and an upper portion of the tube is retained in the associated clip 30. The clip 30 provides the only actual grasping or securement of the tube 12 on the plate 20. Because of the single-point retention provided by the clip 30, when the user desires to remove a speedloader tube 12 from the holder 10, the tube 12 can simply be pulled outward, in a natural motion, away from the user's body. The tube 12 breaks away from the clip 30, camming the sides 34 outward to provide a fast and smooth draw. This result can be attained regardless of the body angle or position of the user.

Alternatively, the speedloader tube 12 can be pulled upward. On some speedloader tubes the lower end is enlarged with fins, for example. The taper on the lower edges 46 of the clip sides 34 enables the tube 12 to be pulled smoothly through the clip 30 in a lengthwise direction.

Claims

1. A holder for speedloader tubes, comprising:

a plate that can be secured to a portion of a user's body;

a plurality of upwardly opening pockets on the plate; and

a plurality of clips on the plate, each one of the clips being located above and associated with a respective one of the pockets;

whereby the lower end of the tube is received in the pocket and an upper portion of the tube is retained in the associated clip.

2. A holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein the clip provides the only grasping or securement of the tube on the plate, thereby to provide single-point retention of the tube on the holder.

3. A holder as set forth in claim 1 wherein each clip has a generally U-shaped configuration including a base and two sides;

the base has two fastener openings for receiving fasteners therethrough to secure the clip to the plate with the two fastener openings being spaced vertically and the base overlying the outer surface of the plate; and

the sides of the clip are elastic.

4. A holder as set forth in claim 3 wherein each elastic clip side has a first end portion that connects with the base, an inwardly bowed center portion, and an outer end portion, the two clip center portions and the clip base defining a retaining volume in which the tube is grasped.

5. A holder as set forth in claim 4 wherein the lower edges of the clip sides are tapered or beveled.